Streaked Tuftedcheek

Quick Facts

  • Scientific Name: Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii
  • Spanish Name: Trepatroncos rayado
  • Family: Furnariidae
  • Known Nicknames: Streaked Tuftedcheek, Boissonneau's Tuftedcheek
  • Average Length: 20–22 cm / 7.9–8.7 in
  • Average Weight: 38–52 g / 1.3–1.8 oz
  • Wingspan: N/A
  • Key Feature: Prominent white to buffy tufts of feathers on the sides of the face, with bold streaking on the underparts
  • Primary Diet: Primarily Insectivore (gleans insects and arthropods from moss and bark)
  • Range: Andes of western Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
  • Habitat: Humid montane forest and cloud forest, typically at elevations of 1,500–3,300 m
  • Social Structure: Solitary or in pairs, often joins mixed-species foraging flocks
  • Nesting/Breeding: Tree cavities or old woodpecker holes, lined with soft plant material
  • Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
  • Population Trend: Stable

The **Streaked Tuftedcheek** (*Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii*) is a striking, medium-sized ovenbird native to the humid cloud forests of the Andes, from Venezuela to Bolivia. Its most unique feature is the namesake tuft of long, white, bristly feathers on the cheek, which flares out dramatically, giving it a wild, windblown appearance. Generally, it has a rich brown back and wings, a bright rufous rump and tail, and a heavily streaked white and brown throat and breast. A special adaptation is its long, slightly decurved bill, which it uses like a pair of forceps to expertly pry into bromeliads and mossy crevices, extracting insects and spiders that other birds cannot reach. This specialized foraging behavior, combined with its bold facial tufts, makes the Streaked Tuftedcheek a memorable and charismatic resident of the misty mountain forests.